While it still hasn't been confirmed, we've now heard from multiple sources that Franklin Richards will be a key part of The Fantastic Four: First Steps and both Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars.
Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige confirmed at Comic-Con that Marvel's First Family will appear in the latter two movies, but what exactly will young Franklin bring to the party?
According to insider @MyTimeToShineH, the son of Mister Fantastic and the Invisible Woman will have the ability to traverse the Multiverse in First Steps and Doomsday. That's sure to be a key plot point given how important this team looks set to be to the wider Multiverse Saga.
Remember, it was back in August when we first heard that Galactus supposedly summons Marvel's First Family by sending the Silver Surfer to Earth, demanding they bring Franklin to him. If they refuse, then he'll destroy their planet.
What he could want with the boy hasn't been revealed, though we can look to the comics for clues. With Marvel Studios likely taking inspiration from "Earth X," a reality which saw Shalla-Bal become Silver Surfer, there may be a connection between Frankin and the world-eating baddie.
In that series, the incredibly powerful young mutant agreed to let the High Evolutionary transform him into the new Galactus to restore balance to the universe (and protect it from the Celestials) after his father turned the original version into a star. He lost his memories but, given his heroic past and guidance from the two Silver Surfers, only consumed planets which would eventually give birth to a Celestial.
That's a route this movie could head in, though this latest rumour makes us think it's more likely Galactus wants to use Franklin to open a doorway to other realities, particularly if he's aware this universe is about to die (and how better to feed his insatiable appetite than to have a Multiverse of planets to dine on).
For now, we can only guess but with previous reports claiming these Avengers movies will focus on several teams, Franklin might open the door between worlds for one while America Chavez handles those duties for another.
In the comics, Franklin was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby and first appeared in Fantastic Four #94 in 1969. Possessing mutant abilities that allow him to manipulate reality on a vast scale, his powers have manifested in various ways throughout his comic book appearances.
Set against the vibrant backdrop of a 1960s-inspired, retro-futuristic world, Marvel Studios' The Fantastic Four: First Steps introduces Marvel’s First Family—Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic (Pedro Pascal), Sue Storm/Invisible Woman (Vanessa Kirby), Johnny Storm/Human Torch (Joseph Quinn) and Ben Grimm/The Thing (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) as they face their most daunting challenge yet.
Forced to balance their roles as heroes with the strength of their family bond, they must defend Earth from a ravenous space god called Galactus (Ralph Ineson) and his enigmatic Herald, Silver Surfer (Julia Garner). And if Galactus’ plan to devour the entire planet and everyone on it weren’t bad enough, it suddenly gets very personal.
Paul Walter Hauser, John Malkovich, and Natasha Lyonne have been cast in mystery roles.
Director Matt Shakman worked with both Avatar: The Way of Water co-writer Josh Friedman and WandaVision's Cam Squires on The Fantastic Four: First Steps' screenplay, with Eric Pearson (Black Widow) later coming on board for a final polish.
The movie is set to be released in theaters on July 25, 2025.